Mobile communication devices may have multiple screens or displays. An example of such devices is a clamshell mobile communication device. A clamshell mobile communication device generally has a base and a hinged or sliding lid that can be closed over the base. Such devices generally provide a user with a primary display inside the lid or on the base that is visible when the device is open and provides the user with a user interface. Furthermore, some clamshell devices have a secondary display on the outside of the lid that is visible when the device is closed and provides the user with a secondary user interface. The secondary user interface may provide the user with such information as the device status, or notifications.
Notifications are generally associated with an event such as an incoming text message, an incoming email, or an upcoming calendar event, and usually indicate unacknowledged or newly occurred events. When the user sees the notification on the secondary display, the user has the option of opening the device and activating a related application to view the event immediately, or to leave the device closed and view the event later. However, the user typically does not know whether the event requires immediate attention or whether it can wait. Thus, the user may have to open the device and activate the related application every time a notification appears, or risk missing an urgent event. This may result in a lot of unnecessary opening of the device and activating of applications, which can be frustrating to the user, and may be a waste of device resources, such as computing and battery power.
One solution is to allow the user to open and acknowledge, delete, dismiss, or otherwise act on notifications and associated events using the secondary user interface on the secondary display, without having to open the device. However, this may lead to another problem. The user may carry the closed device in a pocket or a purse. Jostling of the device against the user or other objects in the pocket or purse may result in unintentional activation of buttons on the device. This may cause unintentional execution of applications, such as unintentional phone calls or messaging, or unintentional dismissal or deletion of events or notifications. This may be frustrating to the user as well as the recipient of such unintentional messages, and is particularly undesirable if an important event or notification is unintentionally dismissed or deleted.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.